‘I hope people leave with a sense of hope’: Student Hosts Environmental Art Installation
The One Way In, One Way Out: Labyrinth Walk Through Environmental Art Installation is being held this week at St. Thomas University.
Third-year STU student Grace Hickey created this event for her special projects fine arts course. The event also goes towards her Canadian Wilderness Stewardship project – a program Hickey has been a part of this year. This program is through the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of New Brunswick.
The event is happening from Tuesday, April 6 to Saturday, April 10. The installation is located in Margaret Norrie McCain Hall on campus.
“It’s kind of not your typical art installation. It’s a very inner reflective experience,” said Hickey.
Hickey invites the participants to reflect on the collective stories and experiences being displayed through these artworks. The artwork represents the various artists’ experiences surrounding the current ecological crisis.
“The participants are invited to come walk the labyrinth and have a contemplated moment with each of the artworks which are placed on the outside of the labyrinth.”
Hickey used painter’s tape to demonstrate the labyrinth. She says the labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and combines imagery.
“Mine is a little bit different. I think it’s a Sixth Circuit Labyrinth. And essentially, they’re a meandering and purposeful path, sort of like a maze, except for the difference between a labyrinth and a maze is that Labyrinth only has one way in and one way out – hence the title of the installation.”
Hickey says the labyrinth represents a journey to our center and back into the world.
Hickey has been working on this event all semester. She created it for one of her courses at STU.
To find artists for the installation, Hickey sent out a call for environmental art submissions from different mediums. At first, she only sent out a call to STU students and the STU community, to which she received a fair number of submissions.
After this, Hickey wanted to reach out to other artists around Fredericton and New Brunswick.
“Luckily, I was very overwhelmed by the amount of support that I received from the art community in Fredericton and in New Brunswick.”
Hickey received over 20 submissions for this installation.
“We have some sculptures, paintings; we also have some digital art, flash graphic design. We have some textiles; we have some plastic art, poetry – so many different varieties of mediums and all of which are very unique and reflect the individual experience of the artists.”
Twenty local artists participated and showcased their artwork in Hickey’s installation. Although none of the participating artists will be at the event, they have come by to see the installation. Hickey created a wall of bibliographies to showcase all the artists.
“Folks can take a moment and read about their work, and it’s good awareness for them as well.”
Hickey says she will be facilitating the event. She will be introducing visitors to the labyrinth and the concept of her project.
Hickey says the purpose of her event was to provoke thought and create awareness surrounding the ecological crisis. She wanted to facilitate an experience of inner reflection.
“The emotions that might come up for them, when viewing the different artworks or walking the labyrinth, it will all be completely different, depending on the individual.”
Hickey wanted to create a counter-narrative to the dominant stories heard surrounding the ecological crisis.
“I hope people leave with a sense of hope and with a sense of empowerment and that they too can be a part of the solution as well. I hope they feel inspired by the beauty of our earth and all the beautiful artworks that have been submitted.”
